To better serve students, the College Board is offering testing supports for English learners (EL) during SAT School Day, the PSAT 10, and the PSAT 8/9. Testing supports include:

Translated test directions

Use of bilingual word-to-word glossaries

50% extended testing time

EL students who use supports during SAT School Day will receive scores they can send to colleges.

Who's Eligible

Students who meet the following criteria at the time of testing can use EL supports:

They are enrolled in an elementary or secondary school in the U.S. or U.S. territories.

They are an English learner as defined by their state or by federal policy.

They use the same supports in class or for other assessments.

Details About Testing Supports

EL students can use as many of our testing supports as they need.

Translated Test Directions

Directions are available in 13 languages each for SAT School Day, the PSAT 10, and the PSAT 8/9. Download the translated directions below and give them to students on test day. It is not necessary to request these in SSD Online.

Word-to-Word Glossaries

The bilingual word-to-word glossaries students use on test day must be from the College Board’s approved list, available below. Schools will provide the necessary glossaries to students on test day, collecting them when testing is complete. It is not necessary to request these in SSD Online.

50% Extended Time

To ensure that student scores are processed correctly and on time, SSD coordinators must go to SSD Online’s EL Supports tool to request extended time. Follow the tool's instructions to submit requests. Schools don't need to submit documentation, but the use of supports should be based on the students' documented need.

After requests are approved, students' names will be listed on the school's Nonstandard Administration Report (NAR) so that coordinators know the correct room assignments.

When EL students use 50% extended time on test day, time is added to each test section.

Students using 50% extended time for EL purposes will test in the same room(s), and use the same test materials, as all other students using 50% extended time for Reading.

Extended time for EL students can only be used on the test date for which it was requested. Unlike accommodations for students with disabilities, EL supports are temporary.

For February and March administrations, requests must be submitted by January 31.

For April administrations, requests must be submitted by February 28.

Tests That Don't Use EL Supports

Supports aren't available for weekend SAT administrations, SAT Subject Tests, or the PSAT/NMSQT.

FAQs

Does my school need a contract with the College Board to use EL supports?
No. Contract and non-contract schools can offer supports to EL students.

Which languages are covered by EL supports?
Translated directions are available in the following languages:
Spanish, Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Gujarati, Portuguese, Polish, Chinese, Haitian-Creole, Hindi, Russian, Urdu and Vietnamese.

Our word-to-word glossaries list includes over 100 languages.

How do schools submit requests for EL students who also have disabilities?
All requests can be made via the SSD portal. EL supports should only be requested if they are above and beyond what a student is already using as part of an accommodation for disabilities. For example, if a student is already approved for 50% extended time in Reading as part of an SSD accommodation, a request for extended time for EL should not be submitted.

Do schools need parental consent?
Schools should have consent from a parent or guardian to share student information with the College Board and request EL supports for students under 18. Students over 18 can grant consent.

If a school does not have documentation of parental approval through other processes (IEP, 504 Plan, EL classification, etc.), a consent form is provided in the EL Supports tool on SSD Online. The school should maintain the form with the student's records; it does not need to be sent to the College Board.